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Storms of Magic, Dreadfleet, and now Blood of the Badlands, the 2nd expansion this year. I'm glad to see GW really pushing Fantasy this year after the arrival of 8th Ed. I hope it catches on more over here in the states, or specifically my area...but not too much to where it attracts the wrong type of players (read: the ultra-competitive 40k players in the area).

What are your guys' thoughts? Anyone think GW's hard promoting and expanding of Fantasy will continue as consistently as they have for 40k? Think Fantasy will become more popular in the states? It does seem like it's gaining some ground, from what I can tell...

I sure hope so. I have a circle of Fantasy players in my area (thank goodness for a big metro area) and, truth be told, Fantasy is by far my favorite game (between it, 40k and Warmahordes). Don't get me wrong, I love all three, but Fantasy is my true love, and I even like 8th edition, naff as it is to say that.

I think it will catch on, as GW has been doing a lot of marketing for it. As long as they keep it up, and keep the content fresh, I think it will.

Well, I don't actually know. I haven't seen a lot of Fantasy players around here, though I haven't gone to any of the shops I frequent on scheduled Warhammer days, so it's hard for me to say. I will say that even on days scheduled for other events, I generally see a handful of 40K players, but no Fantasy players.

Before I moved in JUne, I noticed that Fantasy had shrunk remarkably; one of the shops I played at seemed to be down to two or three regular Fantasy players, and the other down to five or six, while each shop probably had a dozen or more 40K players. Prior to 8th, the ratio of 40K to Fantasy seemed to be fairly close to 1:1, though slightly in favor of 40K.

I can't speak to the state of the game lately, though. Maybe it has increased in popularity. GW has certainly been belting out Fantasy releases this year. I'm not sure if Fantasy's perceived decline is due to 8th edition (which I'm not too fond of), or the fact that, IIRC, there was something like a full year between the release of 8th edition and the next Fantasy release, or both.

I wouldn't really count Dreadfleet as a Fantasy release. It's a stand alone game that you can't even use the models for other games with.

I love the system, but I think a big killer is the massive blocks of infantry needed to play the game these days. In terms of the financial (and time) investment it's easy to see it as being akin to being stood at the base of a mountain. And shouldn't we be doing this for fun?

dont really care. Because GW some astronomicle price for whatever their selling.

1.) Don't think that releasing special rulesets like SoM and Badlands can substitute a marketing campaign and won't help getting Warhammer more popular than Warmachine.
2.) Having that many releases for Fantasy resulted in having very few releases in 40k, resulting in less sales in the most popular tabletop. This will show in the next business report. Of course releasing a new 40k edition next year may change that.

Personally though I like many of the Fantasy special releases this year.

It has been a very good year for 8th edition.

It is certainly a game that repays the time and investment that players put into it.

As for keeping the 'competative' types out, the game has inbuilt filters that do that, which is is to the beneift of everyone.

It's actually intended from GW, I read a little of their latest report at it included lots of talk about their "relaunch of Warhammer Fantasy".

The Cornerfag~ wrote:It's actually intended from GW, I read a little of their latest report at it included lots of talk about their "relaunch of Warhammer Fantasy".

while I obviously hope that the tabletop aspect of the franchise does well, I hope this also means more video games, and even comics! I know WAR is still there (been there already, don't want to pay $15 for what it is at its current state) and WoH is in beta, but I'm really desiring a brand new WHF RTS or epic RPG. Man...that'd...that'd just be awesome... And some more comics? I have the latest ones from BOOM! a few years back and even some of those old Warhammer Monthlies from 10+ years ago. I just can't get enough WHF at the moment, in any form...

All the attention they've been giving Fantasy since 8th edition is what got me to start. While I was always interested in the game, nothing ever drew my eye in model ranges.

When I saw Storm of Magic and the potential there for more big monsters (particularly from Forgeworld) I finally had a reason to jump into the game. So all the attention they've been showering on Fantasy worked and got me as a customer, as well as my brother.

For me Warhammer Fantasy feels like the main System to play and Warhammer 40k should be less popular because it came second.

I see WHFB as the more interesting and better game and so I reckon the renewed attention on it is about time... I supose it's the classic.

I must say though that I haven't picked up or played storm of magic and I don't reckon I'll get the new Badlands expansion either. Those new beastmen models though....thats a different matter. I absolutely must battle against an army with those ugly gits in!!

I live in the Midwest and Fantasy is pretty king up here. We have tournies so often and large it's hard to fit even half of them in my schedule. Living in the Middle of Wisco I can get to most of them in a 2-5 hour drive thankfully.

Fantasy is dead around here. The new rules are terrible. maybe when 9th drops I'll get back in, but never with multiple armies.

SlaveToDorkness wrote:Fantasy is dead around here. The new rules are terrible. maybe when 9th drops I'll get back in, but never with multiple armies.

Why? It is because you jsut can't spam Monsters or Cav and expect to win.

No because you spend eons painting an entire huge unit and someone rolls a bunch of casting dice and they disappear.

Because you spend half the game setting up the right charge and then have to pray you don't roll too low to get it off for all your units.

It's sickeningly slowed.

Don't feed the troll.

Yes, because disagreeing is Trolling...

SlaveToDorkness wrote:No because you spend eons painting an entire huge unit and someone rolls a bunch of casting dice and they disappear.

Because you spend half the game setting up the right charge and then have to pray you don't roll too low to get it off for all your units.

It's sickeningly slowed.

Well, as I've said in other threads, 8th Ed is my first exposure to WHF, and I absolutely love it. I hear a lot of "veteran" players complain about magic, but I find it quite appropriate - a bit of an "equalizer" if you will, as it can also hurt your own army or not even go off, etc. Not sure how the old charges worked, but I think they're fine in 8th Ed, granted it's all I know. Obviously I don't like failed charges, but again, it appears to me to just be another "great equalizer". I really appreciate the randomness and unexpectedness of Fantasy, especially compared to the cookie-cutter lists and strats in 40k (which I basically quit for Fantasy). It adds balance, imo, again, compared to 40k's cookie-cutter playstyle. But again, I don't know what it was like pre-8th. But, I definitely see no "problem" with 8th.

As a veteran of 7th and 8th, I can say that while each has their faults, 8th is far superior.

I'll totally grant that there are too many "unit delete" spells in 8th, and want those changed. But on the other hand, the step-up rules in melee, the increased value of infantry and the nerfing of fear and power dice generation have done far more to make more enjoyable games.

I hope so!

I played through 5th and a bit of 6th and i have to say i think its a great time to be a fantasy player. With all the new releases and expansions , great new plastic kits GW is doing pretty good by us right now.
Of course GW knows where its bread is buttered and once 40k 6th ed. is out i think we will see a slow down in releases. I think this is why there has been some unusual timing for some releases lately.
I dont think we will see all the updates that need done before then, with about 6 months left i just dont see all the armies that are left getting done. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

@Acardia: Do you play those Handsome Point Boys? I listen to their 'cast and love it. Really want to get up for Waaaghpaca some time.

I know where SlaveToDorkness is coming from, even if I don't agree. There are plenty of veterans who really liked 7th and hate some of those big changes to 8th.

Whatever the changes, though, I feel like what they got *right* is a closer parity in lists. There are still "tiers" (though even those are fuzzy) but the difference between the top and bottom books is no where near what it was at the end of 7th.

To the original topic- love the attention for Fantasy. I picked up Storm of Magic (though I never played it) but am really excited for Blood in the Badlands. Sounds a lot like the Warhammer Compendium from the end of 6th, which is one of my all time favorite books to come out of GW. Sprawling, a little messy, but full of things that make you think, "COOL! I want to play *that*!"

Needless to say, I've reserved a copy at my FLGS.

Red_Zeke wrote:@Acardia: Do you play those Handsome Point Boys? I listen to their 'cast and love it. Really want to get up for Waaaghpaca some time.

I know where SlaveToDorkness is coming from, even if I don't agree. There are plenty of veterans who really liked 7th and hate some of those big changes to 8th.

Whatever the changes, though, I feel like what they got *right* is a closer parity in lists. There are still "tiers" (though even those are fuzzy) but the difference between the top and bottom books is no where near what it was at the end of 7th.

To the original topic- love the attention for Fantasy. I picked up Storm of Magic (though I never played it) but am really excited for Blood in the Badlands. Sounds a lot like the Warhammer Compendium from the end of 6th, which is one of my all time favorite books to come out of GW. Sprawling, a little messy, but full of things that make you think, "COOL! I want to play *that*!"

Needless to say, I've reserved a copy at my FLGS.

Yes sir I do. They are 30 mins drive to the south of me. I actually shared homeroom in high school with The Rodge. Waaaghpaca is a great time and I'm stoked for this years.

8th is a solid balance in my eyes and the pairity is close.

I haven't seen much WHFB in the St. Louis area, but I'm not really looking for it. I know a couple players, and I consider the game 5th on my list of gaming priorities (1-M:tG, 2-3.5 D&D, 3-WH40K, 4-oWoD), and if I never played again I wouldn't shed a tear. I like the game, but unless the next edition pulls back on the magic, I am done with this game. I like magic, but when the whole battle is decided in the magic phase, no thanks.

As an Ogre player I have 3 caster options, and my casters are way tougher than most, but also rather expensive. I really miss the old gut magic rules (everything casts on 3+, wah, ha, ha, ha, ha ouchies), but with access to more Lores, and the new Firebellys are great fun (but I hate the model). But with the 8E magic rules, I have to delve heavily into magic. How many competitive ogre lists use a tyrrant? None, you really need the slaughtermaster, and I have to spend way too many points on magical/anti-magical equipment. My Dwarves, backup/loaner army, also have to spend way to many point on anti-magic despite not having casters. Seriously I would never have run the Anvil of Doom before, I wouldn't even field a runemaster, but I need the dispel dice so bad.

curran12 wrote:As a veteran of 7th and 8th, I can say that while each has their faults, 8th is far superior.

I'll totally grant that there are too many "unit delete" spells in 8th, and want those changed. But on the other hand, the step-up rules in melee, the increased value of infantry and the nerfing of fear and power dice generation have done far more to make more enjoyable games.

Nerfing of fear also made a lot of Vampire Counts stuff pretty useless. But hey, with a new book already around the corner, complaints should now wait for that.

It's also worth noting that previous editions before 7th had even bigger spells than 8th has. Some of the SoM spells are from those editions, like the one that drops a hill on an enemy unit. 8th has powerful spells compared to 7th, but not not as powerful as other editions.